President Obama sent Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to North Korea as his personal envoy to negotiate the release of Americans Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller.
Clapper arrived at Joint Base McChord in Washington state with Bae and Miller Saturday night.
A senior administration official said Clapper went to North Korea with the “sole purpose” of obtaining the release of the two men.
“It was not to pursue any diplomatic opening,” the official said, noting that Obama chose Clapper for the mission because of his background in Korean issues and because he was a national security official, not a diplomat, which kept it out of the realm of diplomacy.
On the targeted mission, Clapper carried a brief letter from Obama addressed to Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, certifying that he was serving as the president’s personal envoy and was there to obtain the release of the Americans.
The North Koreans had called the United States several weeks ago to float the possibility of a release and requested a senior official travel there to negotiate in person, the official said.
Clapper, who spent roughly a day in North Korea, did not meet Kim Jong-un, conducting his talks instead with other senior North Korean officials.
During the discussions, Clapper reaffirmed that American position that the North Koreans needed to denuclearize as a condition for further talks, the official said, adding that he did not know what issues the North Koreans raised but that he expected they broached matters beyond the two Americans.
The United States briefed Japan and South Korea before Clapper departed.
“This was a very unique opportunity to bring home two Americans,” the official said.
President Obama told reporters Saturday that he was grateful for Bae’s and Miller’s safe return home and congratulated Clapper on a successful mission.
“It’s a wonderful day for them and their families. Obviously we are very grateful for their safe return and I appreciate Director Clapper doing a great job on what was obviously a challenging mission,” he told reporters briefly after a White House ceremony announcing Loretta Lynch as his nominee for attorney general.
Bae, who was detained in late 2012 and is described as an evangelical Christian missionary, was convicted in North Korea on charges of plotting to overthrow its government. He was sentenced to 15 years hard labor.
Miller was arrested in April and accused of committing acts hostile to Pyongyang while entering the country under the guise of a tourist. He was sentenced to six years hard labor.
Their release comes weeks after another American detainee in North Korea, Jeffrey Fowle, was set free.
